Aerials + Plugs + TV reception

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donnsuil

18 posts

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#89194 27-Aug-2011 21:23

Hi,

Recently just moved into a new house and bought a new TV (Samsung 46inch 3D LED one).

The TV has a Freeview tuner in it, so I figured I just need to plug it into the aerial and I'm away. Disappointingly, I plugged it in and the reception is poor, as well as it only picked up 4 channels.

My suspicion is that the aerial plug I used is not the right one, but I thought I would check first as I don't want to break it. here is a picture of the 2 options I have

https://cdn.geekzone.co.nz/imagessubs/bb1dfced6b55653f0fb7bb0fa8e425a8.jpg

In addition to my lack of knowledge of the plugs, I thought I would upload a picture of the aerial itself to make sure it is correct too:

https://cdn.geekzone.co.nz/imagessubs/blog1d3c77dc2d7670e789bf06486f3d85e4.jpg

And finally, what are those boxes on the aerial here:

https://cdn.geekzone.co.nz/imagessubs/blogbb1dfced6b55653f0fb7bb0fa8e425a8.jpg

My guess is that they are splitters or something like that.

If someone could help with this that would be cool.

Cheers,
Martin

Behodar

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#512968 27-Aug-2011 21:38

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xarqi

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#512969 27-Aug-2011 21:38

Images 1 and 3 look the same to me.
I don't know much, but that antenna looks like a high gain UHF antenna to me, so it should do the job.

Where are you? I ask because it may be that DVB-T is not being transmitted from the same place as the earlier UHF analogue signal, or, possibly, the polarisation may be different.

donnsuil

18 posts

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#512991 28-Aug-2011 01:24

Darn it. Here is the first link again, and I'll edit the original post again too:

https://cdn.geekzone.co.nz/imagessubs/blogeafc760f312d58cf1a3f9ccfeac94a8e.jpg

I'm in Apihai Street Orakei, near Okahu Bay.

I'll have a bit more of a play with the TV and see if I can get it going now.

toyonut

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#513015 28-Aug-2011 09:18

Probably time to get someone up on the roof and check the cables, boxes and antenna direction/polarisation. I would expect you would be on vertical polarisation off the skytower or Auckland infill in Orakei.
http://www.freeviewshop.co.nz/digital-terrestrial-i-8.html

http://www.freeviewshop.co.nz/element-aerial-freeview-p-76.html
See installation instructions, the aerial is similar.

Try Vultr using this link and get us both some credit:

http://www.vultr.com/?ref=7033587-3B

cyril7

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#513036 28-Aug-2011 10:55

Hi is there a power supply and power coupler on the TV socket anywhere in the house, if you look on the mast those two box are probably a diplexer/amp at the top and a splitter below, but you will need to send power up to the amp to get it to work. Are there any fittings attached to the TV sockets in the house.

Cyril

richms

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#513059 28-Aug-2011 12:41

Top one will be a high pass filter that they were installing when installing amps for sky back in the day, because the amps were crap and would get massive interference from UHF walkietalkies being used.

The lower one will be an amp. Without sending AC up the cable to it, you will get virtually nothing out of it.

You need to get one of the kingray AC power injectors and put it on the cable to power up the amp, then you may get reception.

Most of the time when people moved to sky digital the installers would take away the power supply for the masthead amp, as it was now redundant for sky, and they had no obligation to leave you still able to recieve the other UHF channels if they installed the UHF antenna back in the day.

Richard rich.ms

pjamieson

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Chorus

#513171 28-Aug-2011 19:51

You've certainly got duplication, the top box looks like a splitter, but only 1 input. The second looks like an amp or duplexer (?) splitting the signal out again (x2). One needs to go (prob the first at least).

If the second is an amp and you have no power supply, not only will you have no gain, it will actually kill the signal completely.

You need to provide more detail or get someone in.

Jaxson

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#513282 29-Aug-2011 08:11

Depending on many things, you may get some reception by just removing the amplifier from the circuit, if even just to test. This means getting out on the roof.

If you don't need multiple outlets in your house you could rewire it so that the aerial just feeds the one outlet you need directly, without a splitter and an amplifier in the circuit.

If you do need the amplifier, you can buy replacement power supply injectors for this from the likes of jaycar. You'd probably need to get up on the roof regardless to see if there is a part number etc for the amplifier, so you can select the right power supply for it.

Is there a sky satellite dish on the house somewhere too? - The f connector shown is common with satellite dishes and the aerial PAL plug is more common with TV aerials. Only the aerial plug will work with your TV.

donnsuil

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#513437 29-Aug-2011 13:17

Thanks for the replies, they are very helpful however I can't do much at the moment as I need to source a ladder to get up there. Once I get a chance, I'll have a play around and let you know how it goes.

Cheers

B1GGLZ

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#513508 29-Aug-2011 15:18

donnsuil: Thanks for the replies, they are very helpful however I can't do much at the moment as I need to source a ladder to get up there. Once I get a chance, I'll have a play around and let you know how it goes.

Cheers

OK
To sort it all out we need to know what's in the boxes on the mast, where all the coax leads go and what connectors or leads are there in the house for TVs etc.
The aerial looks to be fairly new and should be fine but where is it pointing (Waiatarua, Sky Tower or Remuera)? As it's horizontal it should be pointing at Waiatarua or Remuera infill Tx. Sky Tower transmitter is vertically polarised.
If the bottom box is a Kingray masthead amp (and it looks like it) then it doesn't look to be setup correctly when I compare it with a spare one I have here. The two left side holes on bottom should be for VHF and UHF Antenna input coax (either one or both) and the one on the right should be coax out to TV via a power insertion connector somewhere behind the TV.
As for the top box it's anybody's guess. If you have just the UHF antenna then it doesn't seem to be serving any purpose. In fact I can't see any point in two boxes anyway.
The two plugs, as someone else said, one is for the TV and the other is an f type usually for a satellite box. Has there been a dish there somewhere that's been removed?
Let's know what you find.

richms

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#513536 29-Aug-2011 16:21

Its a GME kingray amp, only question is if it is a 4 output distribution splitter, or one that combines a VHF antenna as well.

AKAIK, but I am not 100% sure sky only ever supplied the UHF amp/diplexer models, so without power supply the VHF will all be fine, but UHF will get attenuated to almost nothing.

I might have one of the power supplies lying around here from a $1 box of junk I bought off trademe, I will have a look a little later.

Richard rich.ms